"November Moon" by Wes Aldridge
I was leaving work this afternoon and I had an overwhelming urge inside me to shoot some photos. I had been planning my next two weeks' shoots in El Paso, Texas, and Huntsville, Alabama, so little actual photography was happening today. I need that stuff every day, can't live without hitting the shutter button a couple times a day.
I looked up and the sunset had all but faded away. I noticed the moon... and it was 5 p.m. That is soooo wrong. I mean, winter time is pretty miserable for photographers. With the sunrising at 7 or 8 a.m. and setting between 4 and 5 p.m., that doesn't give much time to get all the many, many assignments photographed that we have. It is pretty frustrating, and I wanted to try and portray that frustration in a photo.
Here we have the 5 p.m. November moon shrouded in empty tree limbs. Think that one shows a little bit of photo reality right now... and it will only get worse before better times roll around in Spring.
This one was shot with my 70-200mm telephoto lens on a tripod at ISO 100 with an extremely long exposure at 25 seconds at f/32. I was pretty impressed at how much the leaves were recognizable in the foreground because I was focused in on a celestial body pretty far away. It even looks as if the moonlight is illuminating the leaves, but that was really me cheating a bit. The leaves were lit by a street lamp overhead, but it sure looks like the moon is doing it.
I like this one, I do. Consider it a clever little photo trick!
"Kettle Corn" by Wes Aldridge
I shot an assignment of a craft show at the Williamson County Agro Expo today. I also got this shot of a girl making a huge pot of kettle corn.
"The Hustler" by Wes Aldridge
Well, this is sort of the shot I was trying to get the other night when I witnessed the man get run over by the car. I thought about the irony in the location of the porno store: Its address is on Church Street in Nashville. So, I think that's funny. I wish I could have gotten to this shot about 30 minutes earlier. It would have had a cooler sky, but such is life. It is done now.
"The Van Gogh Sky" by Wes Aldridge
I was leaving work today and saw the beautiful sunset. The only problem was, I didn't see anything around to shoot with it. I drove by a building and saw the reflection in the windows. There we go. Looks almost like a Van Gogh painting.
"Conveniently Blind Eye" by Wes Aldridge
Well, this shot has nothing to do with my story I have to tell. But, I couldn't bring myself to the point of taking a photo of it.
I was driving down Church Street, en route to the HUSLTER Hollywood store to shoot some of the neons on the building. About five cars in front of me, I see taillights and slight swerving. The car hit a pedestrian, a dirty homeless man. He bounced to the street and the car didn't even stop to see how he was. This was during rushour. Each car in front of me passed right by the man, who was lying there motionless and bleeding on the sidewalk. It blew my mind. What a bunch of fucking soul-less assholes. I mean, I do some pretty ruff things, but give me a fucking break... this guy just got smacked by a car and they didn't even stop to see if he was alive or not. They didn't stop because he was homeless.
I pulled up to him and slammed into park with my hazard lights flashing. I literally pulled this man out of the street to avoid being hit by any other vehicles. Right as I almost had him on the sidewalk, a lady wearing a nurse's uniform ran up to me and grabbed his legs and helped me. Then, another nurse stopped by. And yet, within another minute, one more nurse showed up. The scene of the accident was only a few blocks from Baptist Hospital, so that explains that. I called 9-1-1 and paramedics, fire truck and police officer all arrived within 10 minutes of the accident. They took care of the homeless, dirty man and rushed him to the ER.
The homeless, dirty man's name was Andrew. I took the time to find that out because I cared to. Tonight, with all the thousands of people in Nashville, Andrew needed only one to stop and help him live. I am proud to say, that was me. And for all of those people that watched and drove on... fuck you, you worthloss dogshit bastards. Recognize the value of human life, no matter how much better you THINK you are than someone else who is less fortunate.
"The Human Form" by Wes Aldridge
I think the shadows on this one give it great depth. You see what seems to be a thinning decay and are still left to wonder who and what it is. The human form is a mysterious thing.
"Bestrafe Mich" by Wes Aldridge
There is something beautiful about her. You could see it in her eyes, even as crimson tears flowed down her cheeks. She made punishment seem pleasant. Her face told the stories of years of confusion and she finally was able to clear her mind tonight, to make it all new again. A moment of her simple purity is worth more than a lifetime of my lies. Peace danced around and delicately placed an olive branch on her bare shoulder.
When the Art became as close to perfect completion as we felt possible, we needed a change of scenery. Her cold steel blue convertible Corvette was the key to immediate happiness. She made the engine roar in 3rd as the frigid night air screamed through my hair. She tore around the corner and I looked over to see the moonbeam sparkle a glare from the corner of her right eye, and she smiled. After what seemed like only minutes, we were in the countryside surrounded by pine trees and became a moving part of the rolling hills. The high grass whipped hard as we flew down the two laner, complete with broken yellow line and absent of lamps. It seemed like we were flying by faster than the night, but the needle only read 45. We knew we were free and as long as the tank didn't go dry, we would stay that way. So we drove on, and on, listening to the sounds of night silence that filled the air.
She leaned closer to me and asked in a whisper, "Can you hear it?"
"What?"
"The stillness... the calm," she replied. "Can you hear Fate's call?"
"Of course. Its been our ear candy all night, right?"
"Then listen closely," she said, as I heard her finger nails click against the switch for the headlights... and then there was darkness. "Lets let the moon show us the way for a while," she said, giggling as she steered with her knees so she could light her Marlboro. I leaned in again and she sparked mine as well.
It may seem insane, but it was perfect for our moment of Fate, right then, right there. I didn't know her name two hours before, and will probably never see her again after this ride. I told her to keep her foot on the gas and we will think about the rest of the world some time later.
The Vette roared like a monster, again, and we were streamlined lost somewhere fading between the night air and a dream.
Some things are just never as they seem, hehe.
"Make-up" by Wes Aldridge
Tonight was by far the best Halloween I have ever had. Nine Inch Nails played the Gaylord Entertainment Center... and it was beautiful. NIN are one of the greatest live acts I have ever seen.
Anyway, my friends Jim and Jen were prepping for the show in our downstairs restroom while we were watching a NIN DVD. Jim wanted some eyeliner and a little fake blood to set his costume off, so Jen was applying it. I think it is a really neat shot, totally capturing a fun moment for us tonight. It was an intimate moment between friends that were working together for a common goal, to get there. They finished. Then, we were off to the show. Killer.
"Music, or Not?" by Wes Aldridge
Tonight I shot GWAR at the City Hall in Nashville. If you do not know what GWAR is, then do a little internet search and find out a little bit. It was one of the most vile, disgusting and nasty shows I have ever see... and I am a better man for it. Let's just say their shows are notorious for fans wearing rain gear because the band shoots so much fake blood and other liquids on the audience. I am covered from head to toe in fake blood, but man, was it fun. Rock On.
"Autumn Fire" by Wes Aldridge
The fire in the sky is more beautiful in Autumn.
I shot one of my freelance assignments for Jolesch Photography today... from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. It was punishment. But tonight did have its rewards. My partner today was Alan, a freelancer that does things for many different people, including the Tennessean. He invited me to come see some of his friends' band at the Radio Cafe. The place was small and interesting and I think I met almost every known photographer in Nashville. After watching their work for years in The Tennessean, I finally was able to meet George Walker IV and John Partipillo. George is well known for his Tennessee Titans photos, amongst other things and John is who I look for for all around great photography. Everyone I met tonight were friendly and nice.
Maybe I have some new friends, I hope. I could have been out partying and playing with all my friends on this, my favorite holiday time of the year, Halloween weekend. I think I made a good choice though.
"Scott, In The Woods" by Wes Aldridge
This is a portrait that I did with a photographer named Scott in the woods early this morning. Set the flash on a stand. Slow shutter speed. Fast spin with the camera body. Wah-lah.
"Go Round" by Wes Aldridge
I was shooting for a small section of the magazine tonight at a place called Jonah's Fish Market. The interesting part was, it had a nice collection of fine wines as well. I was trying to get a shot that wasn't totally boring. I shot too much, got a little "outside of the box." I like this one. Slow shutter speed, rear curtain sync flash, spinning the camera during the exposure... elementary stuff, I know.
Oh, and by the by, if anyone is keeping score here besides me, MIND OF THE PHOTOGRAPHER had its 10,000 visit tonight. Right on, think I should celebrate. Anybody got some CheezWhiz and a catapult? Well, I would settle for bottle rockets and a bottle of Jack Daniel's Single Barrel.
"Noblesville City Hall" by Wes Aldridge
WARNING: This post contains Explicit Language and Mature Content that some readers may find offensive. If you are under 18, or are easily offended by strong content, or are simply a feeble wiener, stop reading now and just view the photograph on this post. You may find discomfort within yourself if you continue reading. Do so at the risk of your own conscience.
Thnx – The Mgmt.
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Today was the day from Hell. All the Forces were working against me: Nature, Man and Machine. Bastards.
The sun has only made an appearance for about 2 hours collectively this week and exterior photography has been nonexistent… thank you Nature.
There are still a handful of people that haven’t returned my phone calls to set up photo appointments after leaving some of them 7 messages… thank you Man.
And the fucking mirror locked in the exposed position on my camera today, forcing me to send it back to Canon for service and drive into Indianapolis to rent a camera for a week… thank you Machine.
I am not angry, mad, upset, enraged… none of those. Right now, I am Bitter. I think that Bitter is one of the most hateful emotions a person can feel. When people are pissed, they can get aggressions out through whatever it may be… drinks, drugs, sex, blowing something up, whatever. Pick your poison, everyone does. But you can’t kick Bitter like that. No, not a damn chance. It lives deep, down, dark and low inside you, festering and seething and trying to stealthily crawl its way to the top of everything you are. You taste it in the back of your throat and you don’t feel steaming hot, you get more of that cold, numb and disconnected feeling.
I truly almost had enough today. I almost reached that point and threw my hands up. It has been one of those weeks where everything seems to be against me. But, you know what? Fuck you. I will defeat you. You are weak and I am strong. I have come too far to give up now. Bring it on, bring more, bring everything you’ve got. My will is too strong, I will overpower you. I will succeed and laugh in your face.
Now that the psycho ranting is over, let’s blow some sunshine up our asses so everyone leaves on a high note!
Ok, so I was always taught that tomorrow brings a better day and there always has to be something good, somewhere. Well, I just saw a commercial during the World Series that excited me. It seems that Joaquin Phoenix is playing Johnny Cash in an upcoming film with Reese Witherspoon. That is awesome because I can’t explain to you how much CASH means to me. He, along with Hank Williams The First, are in my opinion two of the greatest American poets that have ever lived. There is just something magic there. I am looking forward to paying my wallet-raping-$9-fee at the local cinema to see “Walk the Line.”
Now, I just lost a Paper-Rock-Scissors Game with Evan, and we have some catching up to do and some World Series to watch.
"Bunny Ears" by Wes Aldridge
Today I was prepping to shoot a portrait of a husband and wife team that ran an acting studio and performance theatre. They were both former players in Broadway shows and really seemed to enjoy what they were doing. I wanted to shoot them on stage and try to use the lighting rig behind them as part of the backdrop. I wanted the look of stars to be coming from the lights, so I needed a really long exposure time to make that happen. Naturally, I wouldn't be able to hold the camera steady for a good 4 seconds, so I put it on the tripod. While I was making adjustments to the angle of the shot, the two were playing around and having fun. I was looking into the viewfinder when I saw... the bunny ears. Snap, and I got a moment of this little ol' couple's happiness, pure and unstaged... no pun intended, of course.
"The Ref" by Wes Aldridge
I am on assignment right now in a suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana. Fishers, oh Fishers... I have come to you again. I shot this magazine a year ago, and I am back again.
So, I had to shoot a family having fun at a local upscale bowling & gaming facility for a feature story. I shot them playing the lanes and think I got some cute stuff, mission accomplished. I needed to get another shot of the facility for a different department of the magazine. There was a room with nice pool tables, akin to Buffalo Billiards, for all those who may have that fine establishment in your town. I got a nice shot of a platinum blonde mother-daughter team playing a game of pool. I was finished. But then the owner grabbed me and said he wanted to do one more thing. Alright, I'm game.
He said he had messed with one of his servers a little earlier about being in one of the photos, because he knew she really didn't want to. He said he was going to get her and tell her she had to be in a shot. He told me to be mean.
At that point in time, I let every thought of the "traditional prick" photographer run through my head. It was time to get in character. When she walked in, a little confused, I started barking at her to "pick up the pace, sweetie, because I've only got five minutes." And it was on from there... and I let her have it.
If you know me, it is pretty hard for me to be a true and absolute jerk. I made her get in this pose about to break the rack. I kept telling her to give me a real smile because the "fake" one she was doing made her look stupid and really screwed up the picture. I was gruff and kept cutting her off after everything she started to say. She had this astonished look on her face that was priceless. It was totally awesome. I kept busting her chops and you could tell she was really getting pissed. At the point I could tell she was going to blow up, I put the camera up to my face and said, "smile and on three, say 'I got duped.'" She was like, "What?" And then I spilled the beans to her about her boss setting her up. The entire place busted out laughing and she ran around trying to kill her boss and me. Man, it was funny. Here she is, disgruntled smile and all. She was a really good sport!
But, as you can see on the TV screen in the background, my boy Vick and the Falcons are wearing the NY Jets out and I need to tend to some Monday Night Football.
"The Pumpkin" by Wes Aldridge
The Fall is truly a great time for pumpkins.
"McGavock Sunset" by Wes Aldridge
I shot a freelance marching band assignment at McGavock High School today... all day. I was shooting directly into the sun the entire time, which made the exposures on the shadowed faces of the particpants pretty difficult, especially with cloud coverage knocking me around 3 f-stops every few minutes. It made the autofocus on my camera not work worth shit. Really need that autofocus when the quota is to shoot at least 100 different photographs of constantly moving people in a span of about 8 minutes. Not easy, but sure is fun. Shooting the marching band competitions is like playing a game at the fair, I think. You figure out the movement patterns, lock in your focal point and push the shutter button second after second as each band member marches by until both of your hands start to cramp... then you do it some more.
After I finished shooting my 24th band (members ranging from 50 to 150) of the day, it was time to download the thousands of shots and get the heck out of there. While I was standing there finishing up, I looked over the tree tops and saw the beautiful sunset. Not much to the shot really, just Nature's majesty.
"Stix" by Wes Aldridge
What a brave tree to keep on standing after his prime.
"Ol' Cowboy" by Wes Aldridge
The sun was beautiful. The expression tells his story. Too long and hard at it, and getting too late in the day for him.
"The General Jackson" by Wes Aldridge
I went searching around as the sun started to set tonight. The sun is setting much earlier these days. I barely have time to drive from the office to my place before the colors become brilliant. Yes, it is Fall now. The days are shorter, the weather is more unpredictable and the nights are becoming longer and longer. The life of a photographer becomes a little harder right now, but that's alright. I love the weather because I know winter is just around the corner and that is when things get really tough.
But, tonight, for all of those who love when I shoot ANOTHER Nashville skyline shot, this one is for you. I went across the Cumberland River to see what I could see. I had planned on shooting some of the industrial sculpture work close to the landing. I was doing sunset silhouettes when I looked up and saw the riverboat General Jackson coming down the river. I hadn't gotten a shot of it before and it is most certainly a part of iconic Nashville. Cool, I thought I would get a shot, and what the heck, someone might even want to buy a print of it, right? Hehe. I hope so.
Well I got lucky because the boat docked right in front of the Bellsouth building. I thought I was going to have to shoot it while it was moving. I put up the tripod and metered out the light. The exposure was less than 10 seconds, I think and the aperture was somewhere around f/7.1. Anyhow, I like it.
